Dilshan And Sangakkara Centuries Drive Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka completely dominated day one of the opening Test against Pakistan in Galle, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara both scoring centuries as the home side racked up 300 for two.

Dilshan scored his 13th Test century while Sangakkara's 29th Test century was his eighth against Pakistan and the pair put on 124 for the second wicket.

And runs continued to flow even when Dilshan was dismissed, Mahela Jayawardene surviving a tricky spell before tea to reach his 42nd Test half-century.

The other man to be dismissed was opener Tharanga Paranavitana, stumped by Adnan Akmal off Saeed Ajmal for 24 afer he had put on 63 with Dilshan for the first wicket once Jayawardene won the toss and decided to bat.

Ajmal was the only man to break through for Pakistan, finally prising Dilshan and Sangakkara apart when he had Dilshan trapped in front leg before playing off the back foot.

By then, he had made 101 runs in 180 deliveries, hitting 13 fours and a six in a measured innings while Sangakkara, coming into the match struggling for form, was unsurprisingly more circumspect. He faced 194 balls and hit 13 fours during his knock of 111 not out.

Jayawardene came to the crease just before tea and with Abdur Rehman posing some difficult questions on a pitch already receptive to spin, had to be on top of his game to get through some testing spells.

He made his way to 55 not out in 109 balls, his driving through the off side being as exemplary and delightful to watch as ever and his defence as strong as the famous walls around the city.

Pakistan, missing Misbah-ul-Haq to suspension due to over-rate offences, handed a debut to Mohammad Ayub, and their spinners - Ajmal, Rehman and stand-in skipper Mohammad Hafeez - bowled more than two-thirds of their overs. Rehman himself bowled 30 overs for no reward as Ajmal ended with two for 81.

Umar Gul (0-55 from 17 overs), Junaid Khan (0-39 from 11) and Hafeez (0-29 from eight) were also unsuccessful against the Sri Lankan onslaught.